Topical Bible: The Feast of the Passover: No Uncircumcised Person to Keep

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Feast of the Passover is one of the most significant observances in the Jewish calendar, commemorating the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt. This event is detailed in the Book of Exodus, where God commands the Israelites to observe the Passover as a perpetual ordinance. A key stipulation of this observance is that no uncircumcised person may partake in the Passover meal, underscoring the covenantal relationship between God and His people.

Biblical Foundation

The institution of the Passover is found in Exodus 12. The Lord instructs Moses and Aaron regarding the preparation and observance of the Passover meal. The Israelites are to take a lamb without blemish, slaughter it at twilight, and apply its blood to the doorposts and lintels of their homes. This act serves as a sign for the Lord to "pass over" their houses during the final plague—the death of the firstborn in Egypt.

Exodus 12:43-48 provides specific instructions regarding who may participate in the Passover meal:

> "And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 'This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner is to eat of it. But any slave who has been purchased may eat of it, after you have circumcised him. A temporary resident or hired hand shall not eat the Passover. It must be eaten inside one house; you are not to take any of the meat outside the house. And you must not break any of the bones. The whole congregation of Israel must celebrate it. If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the Passover to the LORD, all the males in his household must be circumcised, and then he may partake, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it.'"

Covenantal Significance

Circumcision is the sign of the Abrahamic covenant, as established in Genesis 17. It is a physical mark of the Israelites' unique relationship with God, signifying their identity as His chosen people. The requirement that only circumcised males may partake in the Passover meal emphasizes the importance of this covenantal sign. It serves as a reminder that participation in the Passover is not merely a cultural or ethnic tradition but a sacred act of obedience and faithfulness to God's covenant.

Theological Implications

The restriction against uncircumcised individuals partaking in the Passover meal highlights the exclusivity of the covenant community. It underscores the principle that access to the blessings and promises of God is contingent upon entering into a covenant relationship with Him. This requirement foreshadows the New Testament understanding of the necessity of being in Christ to partake in the spiritual blessings of the New Covenant.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul addresses the issue of circumcision in relation to faith in Christ. In Romans 2:28-29 , he writes:

> "A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God."

While the physical act of circumcision is no longer a requirement for believers in Christ, the principle of being set apart for God remains. The Passover's stipulation serves as a precursor to the spiritual circumcision of the heart, which is essential for participation in the life and promises of God.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near Eastern context, circumcision was not unique to the Israelites but was practiced by various cultures. However, for the Israelites, it held a distinct theological significance as the sign of the covenant with Yahweh. The Passover meal, therefore, was not merely a communal gathering but a profound expression of faith and identity as God's covenant people.

The exclusion of uncircumcised individuals from the Passover meal also served to maintain the purity and distinctiveness of the Israelite community. It reinforced the boundaries between the covenant people and the surrounding nations, preserving the integrity of their worship and devotion to the one true God.

Conclusion

The Feast of the Passover, with its stipulation that no uncircumcised person may partake, is a profound testament to the covenantal relationship between God and His people. It underscores the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and the distinct identity of the covenant community. Through this observance, the Israelites were reminded of their deliverance from Egypt and their unique calling as God's chosen people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 12:43,45
And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Letter xiv. --(For 342. ) Coss. Augustus Constantius iii, Constans ...
... desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you ... time, Moses proclaimed the beginning
of the feast, saying, This ... the Lord, of Himself, and of no other, were ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/letter xiv for 342 coss augustus.htm

Differences in Judgment About Water Baptism, no Bar to Communion ...
... opinion, as here is to exclude the uncircumcised from the communion of the church
and the passover: I say ... if they could find it written, 'No unbaptized person ...
/.../the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/differences in judgment about water.htm

John Bunyan on the Terms of Communion and Fellowship of Christians ...
... sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the ... and then let him come near and
keep it; [For ... one born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/john bunyan on the terms.htm

Difficulties and Objections
... objects of Christ's love in John 13:1: "Now before the Feast of the Passover, when
Jesus ... Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:1). Therefore we say there is no room for ...
/.../pink/the sovereignty of god/chapter eleven difficulties and objections.htm

Of Preparation.
... prepare themselves as they should, to eat the passover: and it ... the man who came to
the marriage-feast without his ... did not remain it could be no sacrament; but ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bayly/the practice of piety/i of preparation.htm

The Land and the People.
... There he could feast upon the rich memories of ... of Josephus, who on one single Passover
reckoned the ... He needed no visions and revelations like the prophets and ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 17 the land and.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... all the dainties of the heavenly feast, the glories of ... its face towards the east,
to keep the people ... not suffered to go into it; no uncircumcised were admitted ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

P??dobaptism. Its Accordance with the Institution of Christ, and ...
... baptism, was intended for infants, but the passover, for which ... the womb, I hold that
this is no obstacle to ... in which God invites to the heavenly feast the lame ...
/.../chapter 16 paedobaptism its accordance.htm

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day ...
... Bunyan admits no uncertainty as to a fixed day for ... and Sabbaths are superseded; Christ
our passover is slain ... and we have not an annual but a perpetual feast. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/questions about the nature and.htm

The Barren Fig-Tree;
... But I will keep thee no longer out of the book. ... 'And of the rest durst no man join
himself to ... 'Ye have brought,' saith he, 'men uncircumcised into my sanctuary ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the barren fig-tree.htm